HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CALLS FOR MASSIVE VACCINATION OF STUDENTS AGAINST DIPHTHERIA OUTBREAK 12-03-25
By Sadiq Aminu The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to embark on massive diphtheria vaccination and awareness campaigns in schools across the country to
prevent outbreaks of diphtheria in schools.
The call by the Green Chamber was sequel to a motion of Public importance sponsored by the Spokesperson of the house of Representatives Mr Akin Rotimi, following the outbreak of diphtheria in King’s College Lagos.
In a lead debate, Mr. Rotimi explained that the outbreak resulted to the death of a 12-year-old student and the hospitalization of several others.
The House, while expressing concerns over the health safety of Nigerian students in various schools, urged the Federal Ministry of Education to take immediate and decisive measures to
strengthen health and safety protocols in all federal unity colleges.
According to Mr. Rotimi, the Outbreak incident exposes lapses in infection
prevention and control measures in schools, hence the need to take proactive measures to ensure the health and safety of students in nation’s institutions.
Adopting the motion the House mandated the House Committees on Health and Basic Education to engage with relevant agencies, including the NCDC, to assess and enhance infection prevention and emergency response measures in federal schools.
The House also mandated the NCDC to establish and implement a structured disease surveillance system within all federal unity colleges to ensure early detection and rapid response to infectious disease outbreaks.